Summary: Your Expert Advisor shows ‘Waiting for update’ and never trades. This guide explains why this happens and provides 4 actionable steps to get your EA running immediately.
Step 1: Understand What ‘Waiting for Update’ Means
This status means your EA has been attached to the chart but hasn‘t received any price tick yet. EAs only trigger on incoming ticks. Without ticks, they ‘wait’. Screenshot: EA smiley face with ‘Waiting for update’ tooltip.
Step 2: Check Auto-Trading Button
Look at the MT4/MT5 toolbar. Find the ‘Auto-Trading’ button (green play icon). Make sure it is green and pressed down. If it shows a red ‘X’, click it once to enable auto-trading. Screenshot: Auto-Trading button green vs red state.
Step 3: Remove and Re-Attach the EA
Right-click on the chart where the EA is attached. Select ‘Expert Advisors’ → ‘Remove’. Then drag your EA from the Navigator window back onto the chart. Set parameters and click ‘OK’. Screenshot: Navigator window with EA dragged onto chart.
Step 4: Check for Duplicate EA Instances
Open the ‘Experts’ tab at the bottom of MT4/MT5. If you see multiple ‘waiting for update’ lines for the same currency pair, remove all EAs from that chart. Re-attach only once. Duplicates confuse the platform. Screenshot: Experts tab showing duplicate EA entries.
Step 5: Force a Tick by Switching Timeframes
Click on a different timeframe (e.g., from H1 to M15), then click back. This forces MT4/MT5 to refresh the chart and generate a tick. Your EA should now start processing. Screenshot: Timeframe toolbar buttons.
Step 6: Check If Market Is Active
If the market is closed (weekends or after Friday close), no ticks arrive. The EA will stay on ‘Waiting for update’ until the market reopens. Check the bottom right corner for server time. Screenshot: Bottom right showing server time and connection status.
Reference: MetaQuotes Community Forum – ‘Waiting for update’ explanation and fixes.